Another object of this invention is to provide a merchandising device comprising an automatically glued sleeve which may be folded fiat for economical storage and shipping of large numbers of the merchandising device with the consumption of a minimum of floor space while being readily adapted to being opened for inserting the merchandise therein.

A further object is to so construct a merchandising device as set forth above so that it may be run through a regular box making production line with high efficiency in packaging in placing the merchandise in the device with a minimum of labor and time being required.

Another object is to provide a merchandising device that is readily adapted to fit or pack many bottled products or other boxed products where one or more products are to be packed and sold as gifts or for special sales.

It is also an object to provide a simple sleeve type merchandising device made from a single flat sheet in which various sized and shaped holes, creases and scorings adapt the device to fit different sized bottles and other package items in which the merchandise inserted provides the sole means to rigidly hold the sleeve in display position and in position for shipping the merchandise therein.

A further object is to provide a sleeve type merchandiser in which the bottle, boxes, or the product itself are securely locked and protected during shipping and which devices can be safely and easily packed in corrugated boxes and shipping containers capable of sustaining without damage rough handling in transit.

And a still further object of this invention is to provide a merchandising device which receives and rigidly locks the product securely in place as the sleeve folds to concave display position with no other fastening, stapling or gluing being required and in which the product is so held that the loaded device can be dropped, thrown and otherwise roughly handled without the product being dislodged from the display.

And it is also an object of this invention to form a merchandising device from a continuous one-piece rectangular sleeve perforated and scored in such a way as to receive and lock the product therein so as to form a concave and downwardly sloping display surface for advertising matter and printing in which the merchandise provides the sole means to rigidly hold the sleeve in said display position.

i A further feature of this invention includes a folding flap pivotal'ly connected to the upper rear edge of the sleeve which functions as a means providing a flat horiiontal, top surface for the packed merchandising device to' facilitate protection of the top exposed surfaces of the merchandise projecting through downwardly sloping top display surface during shipping and which flap automatically flips to vertical position to provide a further display surface for the device when set up in display position.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a merchandising device incorporating the features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of the flat sheet perforated and scored preparatory to folding and gluing into the sleeve structure of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is an end perspective view of the completed sleeve of Fig. 2 ready for insertion of the merchandise therein.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the sleeve with the goods packed therein.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a merchandising device similar to Fig. l but including a flip-up flap at the top rear edge of the sleeve.

Fig. 6 is a view of the flat sheet for forming the sleeve structure shown in Fig. 5.

, Fig. 7 is an end perspective view of the completed sleeve of Fig. 6 ready for insertion of the merchandise therein.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the sleeve of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, with the goods. packed therein.

As an example of one embodiment of this invention there is shown in Fig. 2 a fiat sheet 10 of suitable material such as cardboard or the like which is scored at 11, '12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 forming the areas or panels 18, 19, 2021-22-23 and 24 and the glue flap 25 on the sheet 10. The sheet 10 is perforated at 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 to receive and rigidly lock and hold the merchandise in the form, for example, of bottles 31 and 32.

The sheet 10 thus prepared may be readily run through a regular box folding and gluing machine to form the sheet 10 into the rectangular sleeve shown in Fig. 3, preferably wherein the depth of the bottom panel 24 between the scorings 16 and 17 plus the back panel 18 between the scorings 11 and 17 equals the height of the front panel having portions 20, 21, 22 and 23 between the scorings 12 and 16 plus the top panel 19 between the scorings 11 and 12. The flap area 25, for example, is glued to the inner surface along the outer edge 33 of the portion 18 of the sheet 10.

The thus prepared sleeve then has its front panel portions 20, 21, 22 and 23 caved inwardly, Fig. 4, by the insertion of the merchandise, such as the bottles 31 and 32 which action locks the bottles in the sleeve so that they provide the sole means for maintaining the sleeve in display position as shown in Fig. 4. It will be noted under these conditions the top panel 19 slopes forwardly and downwardly, this sloping panel being connected foldably with the top portion 20 of the front panel by the continuous laterally extending scoring 12. It will be noted that when the bottle 32 is in locked in position its bottom rests on the bottom panel 24 of the sleeve while its neck, extending up behind the continuous lat eral scoring 12, projects upwardly through the perforation 29 in the top portion 20 of the sheet 10. The top surface 37 of the bottle cap 38 projects upwardly through the perforation 30 in the top panel 19 to the same height as the scoring 11 or top edge of the back 18 so that when the loaded sleeve, Fig. 4, is packed with others in a shipping carton no lengthwise shifting of the bottle 32 and sleeve assembly can take place resulting in prevention of damage in shipping and handling since the bottle is supported by the carton rather than by the sleeve perforations. Thus the bottle-sleeve assembly is always received in good usable condition for display and handling. It is important to note that the combination of the particularly constructed sleeve and the bottle thus locked therein forms a rigid structure, holding the sleeve in concaved and sloping display surfaces without the use of any additional fasteners, gluing or tape being required in assembly of the merchandise in the device while still providing an assembly of high rigidity to withstand rough handling and yet allowing full view of the merchandise and labels thereon.

Other items such as the smaller, lighter bottle 31 rests on the bottom panel 24 and is held by the loop piece 35 around its neck 36, the back panel 18 supporting the bottle 31 against inward movement while the edge 34 pushes inwardly against the bottle 31 holding it securely against the back panel 18, it being borne in mind that the concave front panel 20-23 and front sloping top 19 is held rigidly in place by'the aforementioned bottle 32 locked therein as described above.

In certain instances it may be desirable to provide additional display and advertising area for the front portion of the display device and further protection for the tops of the bottles and make the devices stackable held therein for better packing in shipping. To this end there is provided a display flap 39 pivotally connected at the scoring 11a which may be connected by the glue joint 40 with the extended portion 41 pivotally connected at the scoring 42 with the back 18a. The pivotal connections at the scorings 42 and 11a are preferably made so that the flap 39 normally flips up in the direction indicated by the arrow 43 to the vertical display position 39a While it may be folded over to horizontal position shown in full line in Fig. 8, engaging the top surface 37 of the caps 38 of the bottles 32 to give a flat large area surface 41a to facilitate stacking and packing in shipping cartons.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement and commercial adaptation as fall within the scope of the appendent claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimed and desired to be obtained by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An article supporting open-ended display sleeve rectangular in vertical cross section and adapted to secure an item of merchandise in display position said sleeve in display operative position having, an upwardly extending back panel, a forwardly extending bottom panel normal to said back panel and integral with the bottom edge thereof, a downwardly sloping top panel integral with the top edge of said back panel, a front panel integral with the front edge of said top panel and the front edge of said bottom panel and having respectively top and bottom portions sloping inwardly toward said back panel and substantially contacting the same wherein the height of said back panel plus the Width of said top panel equals the height of said front panel plus the Width of said bottom panel to provide for folding flat said quadrilateral display sleeve in which said bottom portion of said front panel is arranged with openings therein extending from the front to the rear of said display sleeve and said upper rearwardly sloping portion of said front panel and said downwardly sloping top panel are arranged with openings substantially in alignment with said openings in said bottom portion of said front panel.

2. An article supporting open-ended elongated display sleeve as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is provided a display flap pivotally connected to the top edge of said back panel and the rear edge of said sloping top panel adapted to be swung from a horizontal position over said sloping top panel to a vertical position in plane with said back panel.